Henry Desmarest's Circé

After the divine sorceress Circé welcomes Ulisse and his weary companions to her island home, the forces of love, magic, and fate clash and threaten to ensnare them all. First performed in 1694 at the Paris Opera, Henry Desmarest’s Circé features a libretto by renowned poet Louise-Geneviève Gillot de Saintonge. Be captivated as this epic adventure from Homer’s Odyssey comes to life on stage with opulent, period-inspired costumes, elegant Baroque dance, breathtaking sets, and utterly gorgeous music.

This new, fully staged production will be led by GRAMMY-winning Musical Directors Paul O’Dette and Stephen Stubbs, Stage Director Gilbert Blin, Orchestra Director Robert Mealy, and Dance Director Melinda Sullivan. BEMF has assembled a truly outstanding cast of 20 singers, including many critically-acclaimed favorites from past BEMF productions, with 3-time GRAMMY nominated soprano Karina Gauvin in the title role, GRAMMY-winning tenor Aaron Sheehan as Ulisse, GRAMMY-nominees soprano Teresa Wakim as Astérie and baritone Jesse Blumberg as Elphénor, and BEMF favorites soprano Amanda Forsythe as Éolie and baritone Douglas Williams as Polite.